Passion Fish II The Ballad of Rennie and May
by saylesgirl
Summary: My first fanfic. Only fans of Passion Fish and or John Sayles David Strathairn Mary McDonnell will get it, but I don't care! Of course these characters were created by John Sayles, and I have no rights to them. Just requiting the unrequited.


**The girl was unmistakably Rennie's. All arms, legs, and eyelashes. Deeply tanned, with dark hair that reminded May Alice of Rennie's hair in high school. (God knows she spent enough time staring at the back of his head in class.) She even moved like him- bounding up the stairs with a combination of grace and awkwardness reserved only for pre-teens and, well, Rennie. And the eyes. They were the same hazel-grey-golden ever-changing color as her father's. The same eyes that looked at May Alice with that intensity- the laughter behind them, the shyness, sadness, the unwavering strength, the long lashes seeming to protect them, protect **_**him.**_

**Her shrilly feminine voice snapped MayAlice out of her thoughts, "I'm Mary. My Dad's down loading the boat" she said, and ran back down the stairs before MayAlice could introduce herself. "Guess she got her Mama's voice," she smiled to herself. MayAlice and Chantelle had met Rennie's wife once in town. She was nice enough, though MayAlice sensed she was uncomfortable around blacks and the handicapped (poor thing- running into the pair of them!) and like many, overcompensated by speaking more loudly to MayAlice as if the paralysis in her legs effected her hearing. "So YOU'RE the May-Alice I've been hearing so much about! Rennie tells me you're doing so well. And he does enjoy helping out over there. God Bless You.", she intoned importantly. MayAlice couldn't see Chantelle's face behind her wheelchair but was almost certain she could hear her eyes rolling in her head. They had wondered just how someone like Rennie could end up with a woman like this. **

**"Chantelle! Denita! They're here!" May Alice half turned her head and shouted through the house. Denita had been living with them for just a few months, since Chantelle had regained custody. The child was doing fine, but seemed a little bit lonely to MayAlice as she hadn't made friends with any of the local children. The boat trip today, and meeting Mary, would be good for her. And Chantelle and MayAlice had wanted her to see the real bayou, as only Rennie could show them. **

**May Alice rolled down to the dock where Rennie and Mary were waiting for them. As always, her stomach did a little flip whenever she spotted Rennie, especially when he was working. He was wearing his typical outfit- flannel, denim, and the ever-present white rubber shrimp boots. He removed his hat to wipe his brow and grinned at her. "hey, May Alice, this is my oldest, Mary. Thought it was time I took her out on the water." MayAlice extended her hand to Mary's and shook it. "Nice to meet you Ms. Culhane"**

**"Please, call me May Alice." Then, turning to Rennie, "She looks just like you, Rennie." **

**"oh, yeah, her mother says she takes after me," Rennie chuckled nervously "always gettin' into trouble"**

**"Daddy pulled me out of Sunday school today," the girl announced conspiratorilly. **

**"Well this is more of an education than you'll get at that school," Rennie teased her. More introductions were made as Chantelle and Denita arrived at the dock. **

**"Everyone ready?", Rennie asked.**

**He lifted May Alice out of the chair and into the boat. She was always amazed at how strong he was- it seemed effortless for him- and how nice it felt to be in his arms. They all settled into the boat and were off; the two kids already giggling together over something. May-Alice tilted her face to the sun and smiled. She remembered the first time Rennie had taken her and Chantelle out on the bayou. She had been so nervous, so unsure of her feelings for him, and his feelings for her. The uncertainty was still there, but their friendship was solid. Not only her and Rennie. Her and Chantelle. Her and Denita. Even Rennie and Chantelle were becoming buddies. Rennie could always be counted on to make Chantelle laugh, especially when she was frustrated with May-Alice. He had become a fixture at the house, always stopping by for a drink and a chat. **

**Rennie was skillfully guiding the boat through the water, pointing out flora and fauna for the two younger girls, who ooohed and ewwwed over the muddy bayou. He sometimes looked over at May-Alice and caught her eye. She loved seeing him in father mode- she had seen it with Denita as he'd grown quite attached to Chantelle's girl, becoming a bit of a surrogate father to her along with Chantelle's boyfriend Sugar. Now, watching him with his own daughter, she felt a pang of jealousy. She rarely allowed herself the luxury of "what-ifs"- what if she had married Rennie, had his children, built a life with him. In reality, she knew they would have been too young. Rennie was too wild to be married back when she had first loved him, and she'd had too much wanderlust, wanting more than anything to get as far away from the bayou as possible. **

**Rennie guided the boat to the shore of a little island and helped everyone out, placing May-Alice carefully on a blanket. He joked about being in charge of so many young ladies. The two girls were getting along famously and went off to play at the water's edge. "Be careful, Denita." Chantelle called out. May-Alice knew Chantelle didn't feel altogether adept at being a mother again- she loved her daughter intensely but had been stripped of the motherly role for so long she often felt overwhelmed at the responsibility, and the depth of her feelings for Denita. May-Alice touched her friend's arm and smiled. "They're fine, Chantelle."**

**Chantelle had packed a picnic lunch for them. They all ate and chatted about nothing in particular, enjoying the sights, scents and sounds of the landscape. How she loved this place now. She could hardly remember a time when she wanted to escape to New York. MayAlice studied Rennie as she often did when he wasn't looking. Seemed she'd been studying Rennie for the better part of her new life, and she still hadn't figured him out. She wouldn't call him the strong silent type- he was too gregarious for that- but he wasn't very forthcoming about certain things either. He never brought up his wife, for instance, and quickly changed the subject if anyone else did. May Alice didn't even know the names of his other children and was pleasantly surprised he had brought Mary along today.**

**He often seemed to be flirting with her and she knew they were destined to be more than friends, ever since that day at the Cajun festival. The longing she saw in his eyes then- she had seen it again and again since, always so intense she had to turn away. His eyes at once challenging her and pleading with her, to love him in a way that his wife no longer could, and probably never did. **

**Lying on the sand, the afternoon had flown by and shadows were growing longer. Rennie, like a little boy wanting to disgust the girls, sliced a fish belly with a flourish to reveal the Passion Fish, just like he had for MayAlice and Chantelle so many months ago. He put the two squirming baby fish in the kids' reluctant hands and told them to make a wish. He winked at May Alice and Chantelle, a signal that Denita and Mary were too young for the full meaing of the Passion Fish. "Sorry I don't have any more for you ladies," he laughed. "Oh that's okay," Chantelle said quickly. May Alice looked up at Rennie. "Well, my wish hasn't changed. I'm still waiting for it to come true." She locked her eyes on his and saw him register what she had said. He leveled his gaze at her and his eyes clouded. Now it was his turn to look away and busy himself with preparing the boat for the return home. Chantelle clucked appreciatively at MayAlice's boldness. She had known from the very beginning, the destiny of Rennie and May.**

**Rennie took his time getting the boat back to the house; he seemed distracted. As he finally pulled the boat into the dock, the sunset was just beginning to fade. Chantelle broke the silence and addressed Mary and Denita: "hey, girls, how'd you like to go into town with me for an ice cream?" MayAlice and Rennie both glared at her, knowing the implication. **

**"What? You don't mind, do you Rennie? I'll take them in the car..." Chantelle grinned innocently. Rennie looked out at the water for what seemed like a long time and slowly turned to his daughter. Something in his face and voice had changed. "Go on. You be good for Chantelle. And don't bother her for a ride when you done. You walk and meet Mama at church, alright? She'll be there." **

**The two girls were thrilled at the prospect of spending more time together, and MayAlice, still sitting on the boat, watched them walk off with Chantelle. "Well, they certainly hit it off, didn't they?", MayAlice said. "Ummhmm," murmured Rennie. "She's a lovely girl, Rennie. You've done a wonderful job with her." He smiled absently at this and reached to lift MayAlice out of the boat. **

**Her wheelchair was on the dock where they had left it. Eyes straight ahead, Rennie walked past the chair, carrying MayAlice up the grassy slope to the house. He had always used the chair to wheel her back from the dock to the house. "Rennie...the chair," May Alice looked over his shoulder as they left it behind. "Hmm? Oh, yeah. It's just gonna get muddy." Rennie's voice sounded like it was far away, or in a tunnel. May Alice could feel his heart pounding furiously in his chest as they made their way up to the front door. It had gotten dark and they hadn't left the porch light on. "Rennie." May Alice said as they stopped on the porch. She shifted herself in his arms so that she could touch his face. She found the dimple in his cheek and ran her finger along it. Rennie tried to speak "MayAlice, I..." He moved her body closer to his chest and turned his face toward her and kissed her. "I need you", he croaked. "I'm yours. I've always been," whispered MayAlice, burying her face in his neck. Overcome with emotion, she still had to laugh a little- she was a parapeligic, washed up soap opera actress living in the Louisiana bayou, about to start an affair with a married man, yet she felt like the luckiest woman on earth. Rennie wondered why she was laughing at this moment and pulled back a little, giving her a quizzical look. "Just help me into bed, Rennie." He gave her one of his rare full smiles and fumbled with the door knob, using his right hand to open the door, still holding her with his left arm. He started to carry her inside, his eyes never leaving hers. Remembering his shrimp boots, he wiggled out of them (with some difficulty because his arms were full of MayAlice) and for the first time, left them on the porch. **


End file.
